selfdiscrepancy

Self-discrepancy is a theory in social and personality psychology that explains how differences among people's self-representations influence emotions, motivation, and behavior. Introduced by psychologist E. Tory Higgins in 1987, the theory posits three core self-states: the actual self (what a person believes they currently are), the ideal self (what they would ideally like to be), and the ought self (what they feel they should be, often tied to duties and obligations).

Discrepancies between the actual and ideal self tend to produce dejection-related emotions, such as sadness and disappointment, whereas discrepancies between the actual and ought self tend to provoke agitation-related emotions, such as anxiety and guilt. People respond by trying to reduce these gaps through pursuing new goals, adjusting self-standards, or employing coping strategies.

Measurement typically involves self-report questionnaires designed to quantify actual-ideal and actual-ought discrepancies and to relate them to well-being, depression, anxiety, and motivation. Research has applied self-discrepancy concepts to areas including body image and eating behavior, career development, and general self-regulation.

Critics point to cultural variability in self-standards, overreliance on Western notions of the self, and the idea that not all discrepancies cause distress. Some findings show that moderate gaps can be functional or context-dependent, and the direction of the relationship may be influenced by coping resources and appraisal.

Self-discrepancy theory remains influential in studies of motivation, emotion, and self-regulation, offering a framework for understanding how self-guides shape affect and goal pursuit.